Khoob ladi mardani wo to Jhansi wali Rani thi: The Queen India should never forget
New Delhi, Nov 19: Indian freedom movement would not have been successful without the efforts of many heroes whose stories never got their dues in the pages of history and one such remains freedom fighter is Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi. Today, on her birth anniversary, let us scurry through history books once again and remember the one Queen India must never forget about.
Childhood:
Born
on
19
November
1828
in
the
town
of
Varanasi
into
a
Marathi
Karhade
Brahmin
family,
she
was
named
Manikarnika
Tambe
and
was
nicknamed
Manu.
Her
father
was
Moropant
Tambe
and
her
mother
Bhagirathi
Sapre
(Bhagirathi
Bai).
According to history books, she was more independent in her childhood than others her age. From a very early age, she studied shooting, horsemanship and fencing with childhood friends Nana Sahib and Tantia Tope.
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Historians have registered that contrasted many of the patriarchal cultural expectations for Indian women in the society at this time. Notably, she had unique perspectives on societal issues and her courage to fight against social norms.
Marriage
Manikarnika
tied
the
knot
to
the
Maharaja
of
Jhansi,
Gangadhar
Rao
Newalkar,
in
May
1842
and
was
afterwards
called
Lakshmibai
in
honour
of
the
Hindu
goddess
Devi
Lakshmi
and
according
to
the
Maharashtrian
tradition
of
women
being
given
a
new
name
after
marriage.
In
September
1851,
she
gave
birth
to
a
boy
(Damodar
Rao),
but
the
baby
died
four
months
after
birth
due
to
a
chronic
illness.
The
Maharaja
adopted
a
child
called
Anand
Rao,
the
son
of
Gangadhar
Rao's
cousin,
who
was
renamed
Damodar
Rao,
a
day
before
the
Maharaja
died.
The
adoption
was
in
the
presence
of
the
British
political
officer
who
was
given
a
letter
from
the
Maharaja
instructing
that
the
child
be
treated
with
respect
and
that
the
government
of
Jhansi
should
be
given
to
his
widow
for
her
lifetime.
After the death of the Maharaja in November 1853, the British East India Company applied the Doctrine of Lapse, rejecting Damodar Rao's claim to the throne and annexing the state to its territories. The Rani was shocked and upset. In March 1854, Rani Lakshmibai was given an annual pension and ordered to leave the palace and the fort.
As per the doctrine, an Indian princely state under the suzerainty of the East India Company (EIC) would have its princely status abolished and would be annexed into British India if the ruler was either "manifestly incompetent or died without a male heir".
Jhansi Rani was enraged within and the news of rebellion on May 1857 in Meerut made only her desire to fight against the British Raj stronger. "We fight for independence. In the words of Lord Krishna, we will if we are victorious, enjoy the fruits of victory, if defeated and killed on the field of battle, we shall surely earn eternal glory and salvation," she gave a call to the people.
She defended Jhansi against British troops for two weeks with her adopted son on her back. Despite having a small army, she fiercely fought the battle with courage and killed hundreds of British men. In the end, she could not overpower the might of the English men and died on June 18 on 1858.
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Although she lost the battle, she is remembered for her valour and courage to take on the mighty British empire. The Queen is remembered as one of the leading figures of the First War of Indian Independence of 1857 and became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for Indian nationalists.
PM
Modi
Remembers
Jhansi
Rani
Meanwhile,
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
has
paid
his
tribute
to
the
Wueen
on
her
birthday
anniversary.
He
tweeted,
"Remembering
Rani
Lakshmibai
on
her
Jayanti.
Her
courage
and
monumental
contribution
to
our
nation
can
never
be
forgotten.
She
is
a
source
of
inspiration
for
her
steadfast
opposition
to
colonial
rule.
Sharing
glimpses
from
my
visit
to
Jhansi
on
this
day
last
year."